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Phazon
Phazon is a highly radioactive and mutagenic material which can be used in any number of scientific applications, should one possess the means to control it. By nature it is highly toxic, and in even small amounts, can quickly contaminate the minds of those around it, causing them to suffer from a psychoactive bout of "phazon madness". In larger quantities, the radiation alone is enough to kill most unshielded bioforms, should the mutagenic nature not debilitate them first. Phazon was first discovered to be found in small traces embedded in meteorites that fell to Alternia in ancient times, however, its toxic and dangerous nature, as well as the relatively tiny amounts which were available at the time, made it useless until the advent of modern radiology, biology, and general high technology. It appears as an almost vine-like structure, which, if touched, feels rather like a fluid, somehow suspended in a rigid organic shape, more rarely, it is found as a pure liquid. Phazon is of poorly understood origin, and does not occur naturally on any known, inhabited planets. The source is implied to be extra-galactic. Phazon mutation begins in the blood, and quickly spreads to nearly every other cell in the body from there. It begins by blocking all of the receptors in a host's brain, effectively shutting down much of the chemical function of the brain, and replacing its needs with energy output from the phazon itself, shutting down the need for other organs to sustain brain function. After that it begins altering the rest of the major organs, working its way back down into the body through the nervous system. Eventually, once the major organs have all been overcome, the phazon begins to grow its own internal core system, as an organ, at the center mass of an organism. From there any cells which have not already been completely replaced are quickly converted into pure phazon cells, which mimic the functions of the original host and do so very much more. Using data gathered by copying the host cells, the phazon immediately begins varying configurations of cells in an attempt to see which ones are the most efficient and effective at doing their respective jobs. At this point, as the affected cells have become largely composed of pure phazon, they enter a quantum state, one cell in the body can actually begin cycling through many different configurations at once. When applied with guidance from a controlling sentient intelligence or when pre-engineered for the specific DNA of a host, the process can be altered so as to prevent destruction of much of the host's brain functions, especially logical reasoning and memory. To this end the mind can be left intact and replaced with cells that hold the same information as the cells they replaced, effectively keeping the host's mind intact as the body is utterly altered. At this point, the host, now aware of their new biology, can begin to control it through more than impulse, giving rise to continual beneficial mutations through natural adaptation, neural pathways in the head form far more quickly, muscle memory then develops much more quickly, as does resiliency to any damage suffered. Characteristics The identifiable traits/properties of phazon; it's description Occurrence Where can it be found and what forms can it take Alternia Where can it be found on Alternia; what forms does it take there Alternian Empire Where can it be found within the stretches of the Alternian Empire (other planets, like Pandora? Present but extremely scarce?) Beyond Empire Where and in what forms can phazon be found beyond the Alternian Empire's reach, in outer space or outside of the galaxy/universe? Exposure The results of exposure to phazon heavily depend on the context of its application. Phazon radiation has demonstrated minimal mutagenic properties on its own, while the physical substance appears to hold considerable mutagenic properties, the inherent radiation makes utilizing it as such difficult. Phazon is often "impure" and mixed with minerals or other types of rock which hinder its function as anything other than a radioactive "ore". Once mined, however, these impurities may be stripped out, though the resulting amounts of "pure" phazon remaining are usually minimal. The more naturally pure and rich a source of phazon is, the more beneficial the mutagenic effects, while minimizing radioactive decay. To this effect, tables will list results of both pure and impure exposures for comparison. Mild Exposure Mild exposure to pure phazon is usually benign, it should be treated with caution and kept behind radiation shielding, as it will cause severe burns and potential radiation sickness if not contained or handled improperly. Impure phazon is far more radioactive, and should be handled only when shielded and with extreme caution. The purity of a particular "batch" of phazon should be known to all who may come in contact with it, or its lingering energies, as even small amounts of exposure to the element may bring on "phazon madness". Medium Exposure Moderate amounts of pure phazon can begin to alter a host's body, at this concentration pure phazon should be treated more like a virus or other organism and less like an ore or other mineral. In most cases it will result in minor adaptations on a host's body such as: Resistance to further phazon exposure, reliance on continued phazon intake to maintain health and mutations, thickened/more durable skin, enhanced natural defenses (teeth, claws), as well as minor radioactivity of the host itself. At this stage, it is very common for a host to develop a near-telepathic connection to phazon, and begin to show signs of awareness towards it, as if they can simply "feel" its presence when it is in proximity to them. Moderate amounts of impure phazon can cause unstable, painful, mutations, which are usually only sustainable through further phazon infusion. Such cases of mutation may make a subject violent, uncontrollable, or outright kill them. Continued exposure to phazon, pure phazon, may be used in "corrective" doses to help stabilize the mutations, but it is unlikely that a given subject will ever naturally be able to go back to being what they were prior without incredibly advanced, extensive, and risky procedures. High Exposure Dramatic amounts of exposure to pure phazon will radically alter a host organism's biology. In such concentrations phazon should be considered a living creature unto itself. Once exposed routinely enough, a host's body becomes virtually inseparable from phazon, the mutations are so dramatic it's often difficult to tell if the affected creature is even of the same species it was originally. Phazon slowly replaces a host's cells during exposure, at high enough concentrations, a host's body becomes pure phazon, and is malleable by will alone. Such exposure, if not rigorously and carefully controlled, will destabilize and kill any organism eventually. High levels of exposure to impure phazon will eventually terminally mutate a host's body, it is likely they will die of cancer and radiation poisoning long before their bodies ever adapt to the element. Psychics In moderate to high concentrations, psychics would be able to "sense" it as a living organism, or likely "feel" it as they would the heat from a fire, were they attuned to it. Psychics are naturally more mentally adaptable than non-psychics, and as such, if carefully infused, would potentially gain much stronger benefits from their exposure than a physically more durable (and thus, less malleable) troll. Cases The following is a list of recorded instances of troll interaction with phazon in the history of Or8. Show/Hide List Applications Phazon has applications not only as a mutagen, but as a very dangerous power source. It's radioactive nature makes it highly volatile, and even the tiniest bit, if charged or detonated, can produce tremendous reactions. To identify it as a biological or chemical "force multiplier" is apt. Weaponry When utilized in directed energy weaponry, phazon's toxic, caustic, and high-energy nature becomes readily apparent. Charged phazon can burn through most armors more effectively than plasma, and requires less input energy to do so. As a projected liquid, it is not only capable of leaving horrific burns, but of irradiating entire battlefields with relative ease. When used in a small explosive, is it comparable to a micro-fusion weapon, when engineered on a larger scale, it's spacial-warping properties begin to outclass its radiation, heat, and electro-magnetic discharge. Phazic weaponry, no matter the form, tears at the very dimensional state of the target's atoms, and when used with sufficient force, can literally be applied to rip space apart, displacing or rending the atomic structure of anything in range. Power Source As a power source it has few equals in any one area, thermal, radioactivity, electro-magnetic activity, but on all fronts combined, it is unmatched. Phazon can be tapped directly for electrical or thermal power from any sufficiently designed fuel cell. Psychic Enhancement Psychics often receive the most intense, and unpredictable, mutations when treated with phazon. If applied properly and purely, it can lead to dramatic increases in the physical conditioning of the host, in addition to enhancing psychic abilities. This means that rather than become limited by the physical strain their powers have on their bodies, psychics can become capable of pushing their mind to its limits well before their body will inhibit them. Eventually, of course, mutations to the mind outweigh mutations to the body, and many psychics would likely find themselves in bodies of pure phazon, their powers only limited by their capacity for thought itself. If applied without excruciating caution, the more physically-susceptible psychics would likely die of uncontrolled, rampant mutations long before their bodies ever caught up with their developing psychic powers. Category:Concepts